Ones To Watch: 19 UK Emcees For The Win In 2019

Expect to hear these names ring off all year round.

ones to watch 2019
Publicist
ones to watch 2019

Every year, after the dust settles on the previous one, we provide you with our picks of who we think will make serious waves in music for the next twelve months. Last year, our pick of emcees to watch included names such as Octavian, Loski and Nafe Smallz, and they all went on to have a strong 2018. In general, last year was great for the UK music scene, rap and grime especially, with the likes of D Double E, Sneakbo and Ghetts adding to the mix with stellar album drops.

2019 is already shaping up to be another biggie for British lyricism with upcoming projects expected from the likes of Fredo, Stormzy, J Hus and MoStack. However, there are also some fresh-faced spitters you need to be made aware of if you’re not already. All of these artists undoubtedly have the talent to succeed—many of whom we’ve covered before today—but only time will tell if they make the right moves over the coming year to justify their inclusion in this list.

Scroll through below for the full rundown.


Aitch

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Last year, Aitch entered the UK rap arena with force. Showing us exactly how it’s done in Manchester (or “Manneh”, as he proudly puts it), following a string of periodic freestyles, his time to shine came in May 2018 with the drop of “Straight Rhymez”. Lacing a sparse production courtesy of local beatmaker Pezmo—with his rudeboy raps and laid-back flow—Aitch got to show off his lyrical ability like never before. Said freestyle quickly gained fans in the likes of Cadet and Wiley, both of whom got the teen prodigy to open up their UK tours, and major label interest in Sony’s Since ‘93 imprint. Currently signed to the label, and with a new project on the horizon, 2019 may well belong to Aitch by the end of it. —Joseph ‘JP’ Patterson

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Che Lingo

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If you’re not a fan of UK drill but still love rap, chances are you’re either a Che Lingo fan or about to be one. Last year’s Charisma EP was aptly titled, brimming with charm as it was, and it also gave the realm of UK rap a much-needed injection of colour and funk. Jazz, ‘90s-era hip-hop, soul and more could all be heard across the seven-tracker. Cleverly, Che resisted the temptation to fully absorb his U.S. influences, instead adding to the above mix a noticeable serving of grime. “Same Energy”, “Metal & Rocks” and “Black Girl Magic” were all clear highlights, but the latter in particular sparkled as the set’s most potent example of Che’s emotionally intelligent offering with its message of self-love and empowerment for women of colour. As impressive and joyous as it was to listen to (and it really, really was a joy), by the time the closing seconds of “Same Energy” were through, us listeners were left crying out for more. With any luck he’ll do the decent thing and build on those sturdy foundations with even more artistic growth, charming lyricism and well-selected beats. —James Keith

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K-Trap

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“I just want people to think I’m a sick artist,” K-Trap said in an interview with TRENCH last year and, luckily for him, his wishes are coming true. The masked rapper from South London isn’t new to the drill movement by any means—he’s one of its leading flag-bearers in fact, and his two mixtapes, The Last Whip and The Re-Up, are certified staples—but his overall artistry and dedication to music is becoming more apparent by the day. Having put on a monumental headline show last September (the official tour kicks off next month), K-Trap—armed with angst-ridden flows, confrontational rhymes—is living his truth the best way he knows how to: audaciously, in-ya-face, like it or lump it. And he’ll be keeping that same energy all year round. —Joseph ‘JP’ Patterson

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Br3nya

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British-Ghanaian lyricist Br3nya describes herself as the triple threat “dark ting, slim waist, and a fat back.” Speaking with authority and confidence, the First Lady of RahBoy Music sits comfortably alongside the likes of Stefflon Don; unapologetically and outrageously sexy, yet entirely in control of her image. The Londoner’s videos and lyrical content spotlight her physicality—her sensuality is highlighted from a place of control, not exploitation, such is her entire aesthetic. Quick and clever Lady Leshurr-esque quips run from verse to verse, delivered with understated impact and designed to rep her chic and relaxed feels. 2019 has Bry3na’s name written all over it. —Milly McMahon

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Master Peace

master peace

Master Peace has been steadily building a name for himself underground through his daring live shows, electric stage presence and infectious love for music in all its forms. Unapologetically himself, the South London MC has described his style as “alternative rock and surf-rock” (although he merges it with grime-inspired flows) and it’s his relentless drive and boundless energy that saw him dominate sets throughout last year. A year older and a year wiser, for 2019 we’re expecting the AMMI BOYZ member to up the levels even more and take several steps closer to achieving the potential he so clearly possesses. —Aaron Bishop

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SL

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Despite dropping a track called “Nothing To Say”, drill artist SL has been very conspicuous over the past 12 months. The aforementioned track alone turned plenty of heads—3.1 million on Spotify and 3.3 million on YouTube, to be exact—but that wasn’t all. “Genes” with Chip gave SL the first, really big springboard in April last year. An appearance on Kenny Allstar’s Block Diaries gave us another flavour of the young emcee’s gifts towards the end of the year and further backed up what we heard on drops like “Them Boys”, “Tropical” and “Gentleman”; and that’s to say nothing of some heavy-hitting collabs with the likes of P From Lee and Recky. However, despite dropping a track called “Freestyle” and a mountain of requests for a Mad About Bars or Fire In The Booth session, SL’s holding back on that front. Hopefully that changes in 2019. —James Keith

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Ambush

ambush

We’ve all heard the “Jumpy” remix with Skepta and Chip by now, right? If you haven’t, check out Complex’s best songs of 2018 here. Following his No. 1 spot on the list, Ambush has a lot to live up to in 2019. Having ambushed the rap scene last year with a number of underground bangers (“Jumpy”, “Man Can’t”), and some reflective cuts too (“Drama”, “Day Ones”), this year we’ll see if he can hang with the big boys when he drops that debut project. Chopping up riddims with his swaggy style, this Camden rhymer is mostly about having fun, and in a scene where UK drill darkness reigns supreme, that couldn’t be more refreshing. Ambush has all the heat right now but what he does with it will be crucial to his next steps. —Joseph ‘JP’ Patterson

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Flohio

flohio

Flohio first caught our attention with a riotous performance on producer L-Vis 1990’s 12 Thousand Nights mixtape cut “Yeah Yeah”. Since then, the South Londoner has spent much of her nascent career making as much of an impact as possible. “Bands” kicked things off like a battlecry—boosted by a particularly stellar performance on COLORS Berlin. After that, there was no stopping her and bangers like “10 More Rounds” and “Watchout” followed in quick and furious succession. Then came the Wild Yout EP and her status as the new upsetter in town was all but confirmed. Now, as we look ahead to 2019, there really is no telling what she’s going to do next. We know what we hope she’ll do next—an album, for example—but if there’s one thing we know about Flohio, it’s that she’s full of surprises. —James Keith

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Halo

halo

When you have a legend like D Double E backing your corner, nothing but greatness is expected of you—and East London’s Halo knows it well. Having only released his debut single, “Talk That Stuff”, three months ago via D Double’s Bluku Music imprint, it was enough for us to know where he’s headed to musically. The hazy, melancholic production by fellow up-and-comer Diamondz—coupled with Halo’s excitable energy—captured the feeling of a sunny day on the block, ice-cream van passing through, with nothing but weed smoke filling the air. Halo’s activity since has been nothing but freestyle after freestyle and live shows, and with the Bluku team fully behind him, the stars have already been aligned. —Joseph ‘JP’ Patterson

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Tommy B

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Let’s get the obvious out the way first: a lot of comparisons are being made between Tommy B and Devlin, but we’d urge you to put those to one side. Sure, they both have a punk-meets-football terraces delivery, but there’s more to Tommy B than that. He’s already had the seal of approval from Sir Spyro and Risky Roadz—dropping off a freestyle for each—and co-signs don’t come more certified than that. But to get a real idea of his wild-eyed energy and whipcrack flow, look no further than “The Statement”. Starting out with a slow and icy MistaKay riddim, Tommy B quickly pulls the rug from under us with an overwhelming barrage of slew-any-man bars and blink-and-you’ll-miss-em punchlines. Memories of Devlin’s “Extra Extra” and his Practice Hours freestyle will no doubt quickly spring to mind, but you’d be wise to ignore that and enjoy this for its own thing. —James Keith


Young T & Bugsey

young t and bugsey

Nottingham has been quietly churning out the musical talent of late, but it’s fair to say that when it comes to that conversation, Young T & Bugsey are leading the charge. The duo already had a great 2018, showing a consistent workrate in regards to their singles and video releases, and even invaded the Official Top 40 with their Fredo-assisted single “Ay Carumba”. The pair—both lovers of melodic rap—have a penchant for creating underground-approved, mainstream-friendly music, which puts them in a lane all their own. The number of high-quality tracks that they have in their locker so early on, like “Greenlight” and “En Route”, is a clear sign of future greatness. —Aaron Bishop



Mowgli

mowgli

0121 rhymer Mowgli emerged seemingly out of nowhere last year to drop a relentless flurry of singles. The cream of those were two in particular: a solo effort and a collab with 23 Unofficial. The latter, “Everything’s Nice”, was a fun, upbeat rap cut with more than a little drill influence in their flow. The former, however, a track called “One Shot”, was something entirely different: this track was the clearest sign in all of those that Mowgli was more than just a distributor of tough street rap and dark, drilly bars. Instead, “One Shot” gave us a rapper with a lot more to say than his peers. Though the unflinching tales of road life featured many of the subjects drill draws upon—violence, pain, nihilism—“One Shot” came with a sobering honesty we rarely see. The future’s looking bright for Mowgli. —James Keith

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Kadiata

kadiata

With his profile still very much on the rise, Kadiata gets the nod here off the back of an impressive late run to end the last year, putting together the full range of his talents—rap, production, (song) writing—into the beginning of a cohesive idea. On our radar for some time, self-produced early release “Dumb” hinted at his future potential (he directed the video, too) but it’s Kadiata’s most recent singles, “On Tap” and “When The Sun Comes Out”, that point towards a found identity. Underpinning dreamy, glowing keys and stuttered percussion, Kadiata layers soft melodies and vocal refrains, carrying a signature here that’s certainly worth exploring further. Production and feature work on Jesse James Solomon’s EP highlight “Under The Sun” are amongst his best to date and with news of more collab work, a truckload of singles and a headline show to follow this year, we’ll all have a better idea of who Kadiata is very soon. —Tobi Oke

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Unknown T

unknown t

Unknown T, the explosive East London rapper behind UK drill’s most talked-about track “Homerton B”, first stepped in the studio in 2016. Fast forward to today and his various freestyles and features has won him the support of top DJs such as Charlie Sloth and Tim Westwood. “Homerton B”, which was originally intended as a Crib Sessions freestyle for Westwood, was uploaded to T’s Insta and the chorus went viral instantly. Now at over 7 millions streams, the track is one of UK drill’s biggest releases to date. Recently supporting Nines on tour, Unknown T is now keen to jump on a track with Drake; discussing the future, the illusive artist states he is currently sitting on over 100 tracks and rumour has it he may just drop his debut album later this year. A rapper with intent, driven by the adversity he overcame in his younger years, Unknown T’s authenticity and dark mood is deeply compelling. —Milly McMahon

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Taliifah

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The grime scene, much like rap, is dominated by men so when a lyrically-deft woman MC enters the ring—all eyes are on her. In this day and age, though, there’s no need for the ‘female MC’ tag; a good spitter is a good spitter, and that’s that. One grime emcee, who just so happens to be a woman, going by her real name Taliifah, has over the past twelve months proven that she’s in it for the long-haul. Teaming up with grime dot-connector Sharky Major (Major Muzik, Grime Originals) to release her projects, Taliifah is “the female king” on “Major Problem”, her song with K9, and can “spin a man in his red bottoms” in any freestyle; her skippy, confident style on-mic is just what grime needs in 2019. —Joseph ‘JP’ Patterson


Remtrex

remtrex

2019 feels like it’s finally time for Remtrex to fully shine. Last year saw the release from prison of one of Birmingham’s most loved rappers; quickly making an impact upon his return in July, he released the hard-hitting single “How It Goes”. A grizzly video to match cemented Rem’s hood favourite status and marked a successful comeback to the scene for the 0121 original. We soon saw a full 19-track album release in Bars From The Pen. The project surpassed fans’ expectations and received widespread acclaim for its real, gritty insight into life in prison. The late stages of 2018 saw Remtrex join fellow Brummie Jaykae on his sold-out UK tour, a 1Xtra appearance via Kenny Allstar’s freestyle series, and a video for “Slang 2”. Fans got a glimpse of the year ahead when Rem teased a new track with heavyweights Yxng Bane and AJ Tracey—could this be his entry into a more mainstream market? Exciting times ahead for the Remtrex camp. —Jess Monroe

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JD Cliffe

jd cliffe

A quarter of creative collective Ova and Above—a multi-discipline bunch hailing from North West London—rapper JD Cliffe released a mid-length project in Neon Jungle last year and was enough to spark a highlight year for him in 2019. Treading the lengths of experimental rap, from bass-heavy trap anthems to melody-driven deep cuts, it’s a balance JD Cliffe is still tweaking but at select times on Neon Jungle, shine brightly as a complete vision. Assurances of much more to follow include word of visuals for standout cut “Five” and a more constant stream of releases for the next twelve months. —Tobi Oke

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DigDat

digdat

London’s growing drill scene remains the most exciting, unpredictable section of underground music in the country. Failure to pay attention for just a month can leave you behind, but eventually there comes a point where the hype is too loud to ignore and Lewisham driller DigDat crossed this line a while ago. He claimed a Top 20 entry back in November for the remix of “AirForce” with K-Trap and Krept & Konan which, to date, is the highest-charting UK drill record. Initially said to have been a passing, imitative fad of its Chicago sibling, UK drill now sits on a throne of chart-legit streams and views. No other music scene at present is harvesting new faces at such an exciting rate, and DigDat is right at the front of the line. —Tobi Oke

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Bam Bam

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East London native Bam Bam is a rapper whose raw, unfiltered approach to music has seen him grip the attention of top tastemakers over the past twelve months. His Kenny Allstar freestyles show him riding the beats with passion and grit, capturing a feeling reminiscent of early 2010s UK rap when the likes of K Koke and Benny Banks were at the forefront of that scene. Bam Bam’s solo singles also showcase his storytelling prowess as he perfectly finds the pockets within his flow. If he goes into 2019 the way he ended 2018, it won’t be long before the industry stands up and takes notice on a wider scale. —Aaron Bishop

 

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